july 14, 2020 primary/special referendum election update ... · party is changed to august 11,...

July 14, 2020 Primary/Special Referendum Election Update MAILING #1 - Official Election Materials

Prepared by the Office of the Secretary of State, April 16, 2020 This mailing contains official documentation for the July 14, 2020 Primary/Special Referendum Election which requires your immediate attention. Please review the checklist and be sure you have received all the items listed. If you find that something is missing or you have questions, contact the Elections Division immediately at 624-7650 or toll-free at 1-888-VOTESME (1-888-868-3763).

_____ 1. Memo Regarding Governor’s Executive Order and July Primary Election Survey

On April 10, 2020, the Governor issued an Executive Order changing the date of the Primary/Special Referendum Election to July 14, 2020. A copy of the Executive Order is posted on the Upcoming Elections web page: http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/index.html . This memo outlines how the Executive Order will change the conduct of this election. This mailing includes updates to some forms and memos that were previously provided in a March 8th mailing. Please pay attention to the forms that must be resubmitted based on new deadlines. The July Primary Election Survey is included to help us gather important information regarding your ability to secure a voting place and sufficient staff if Election Day in-person voting is not suspended. Please complete and return to us by May 1, 2020.

_____ 2. 2020 Elections Calendar (April to August) The elections calendar will provide you with deadline dates, important election reminders, and information on what is coming up over the next few months.

_____ 3. Schedule of Election Mailings

The list of the future mailings provides approximate dates that you will be receiving specific mailings and advance notice of when election items will be delivered.

_____ 4. Election Submission Checklist The checklist provides a chronological list of required documents that must be submitted to the Division of

Elections. Keep this list in a convenient spot to ensure that all forms are submitted in a timely manner. _____ 5. Voting Place Memo and Report for the July 14, 2020 Election

Municipal Clerks must complete and return this report no later than 60 days prior the election - 5 p.m. on May 15, 2020.

_____ 6. Absentee Ballot Applications The enclosed applications reflect the new date of the election (July 14, 2020). As specified in the Executive

Order and the memo in this mailing outlining that order, absentee ballot applications that have already been submitted to your office – including applications submitted via the Absentee Ballot Request (ABR) service must be honored for the July 14th election. Voters do not need to submit a new application.

Title 21-A, §753-B, sub-§6 requires the Municipal Clerk to create and maintain, in the Central Voter Registration (CVR) system, an alphabetical list of persons who requested or were furnished absentee ballots. All requests must be entered in CVR as soon as the request is received. Clerks may not wait until absentee ballots are received from the printer to begin entering requests.

_____ 7. Notice of Intent to Process Absentee Ballots Prior to Election Day, Instructions and Fact Sheet Municipal Clerks who opt to process absentee ballots prior to Election Day on any combination of the four days permitted by law, (Friday 7/10 through Monday 7/13) must use the enclosed Notice of Early Processing to notify political parties and the Secretary of State. Please review the Fact Sheet and instructions for completing the Notice. In order to process absentee ballots prior to Election Day, you must file a copy of the Notice with the Secretary of State and party chairs by May 15, 2020.

NOTE: If you are not processing absentee ballots prior to Election Day, do not complete the Notice enclosed in this mailing. You will only need to complete and post the Notice of Election that will be provided in a future mailing.

Continued on reverse

http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/index.html

_____ 8. Candidate Petition Certification Reminders

This Governor’s Executive Order also changed the filing deadlines for non-party candidates. This memo outlines these new deadlines.

_____ 9. People’s Veto Petition Certification Reminders

The People’s Veto petiton regarding repealing ranked-choice voting for presidential elections must be filed with the Secretary of State by June 15, 2020. This memo contains other important filing deadlines.

Other Important reminders:

Election Supplies Order Form: A Supply Order Form was included in the previous Mailing #1. The filing deadline was March 27, 2020 – please return the form now if you have not already done so. This office will be ordering additional absentee envelopes as we realize more voters may choose to vote by absentee ballot for this election. Ballot Retention Schedule: The Ballot Retention Schedule provided previously covered elections between June 12, 2018 and July 14, 2020. An updated schedule that includes the July 14th election is posted on the Temp Site. State Party Chair Information: This listing, used to notify the qualified parties if you plan to process absentee ballots prior to the close of polls on Election Day was provided previously and is posted on the temp site. If your municipality does not have a party committee or you do not know the municipal chairs of each party, please send the Notice of Intent to Process Absentee Ballots Prior to Election Day to the state party chairs. Memo – Retrieval of Memory Sticks: All memory sticks should have been returned to the Division of Elections by March 27, 2020. Please return your memory sticks now if you have not already done so. If you will be holding a municipal election prior to July 14th, please notify the Division of Elections and we will send your memory sticks to ES&S for coding. Absentee Ballot Request Service (ABR) Log-in/Password Confirmation Instructions: All municipalities must accept absentee ballot requests by electronic means. The only approved method for voters to submit an electronic request is via the Secretary of State’s Online Absentee Ballot Request (ABR) Service. The ABR service has been updated with the new election date and notifications to voters. Please note that as the July 14th election now inludes a referendum election, the notifications have been changed so you can select the correct acceptance notification email (enrolled or unenrolled voter). Please refer to the ABR User Guide posted on the temp site for further instructions. Each municipality has only one password to access ABR, even if multiple staff members are responsible for accessing and maintaining this system. Please login to ABR using the password you have used previously to make sure you are able to access the site. If you are a new clerk or do not remember the password, contact the Division of Elections. UOCAVA Absentee Ballots: The Secretary of State will be issuing, accepting and processing absentee ballots for UOCAVA voters, in order to insure that Maine is compliant with the Military and Overseas Voters Empowerment Act (MOVE). If you receive a voter registration application and/or absentee ballot application from a UOCAVA voter, you should immediately forward a copy of the application to the Division of Elections. Important Note Regarding Ballot Projections: Ballot projections are based on 70% of the active voters enrolled in each party (these numbers will include voters who registered or enrolled as of March 3, 2020). Of your total ballots of each type, 50% will be provided as absentee ballots. Additionally, for DS municipalities, official (election day) ballots will be scored in the event you need to use these ballots as absentee ballots. All handcount ballots will be provided folded. You must notify the Division of Elections if you wish to receive more than 50% of your ballots as absentee ballots. NOTE: We are not providing actual ballot projections -- you can determine the number of ballots you will be sent by producing a report of Enrolled and Registered Voters from CVR .

Special Clerks Website – Mailings and Forms Posted On-line: As in the past, mailings and forms will be posted to our temporary website page. Elections Temp Website http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/temp/

http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/temp/

101 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0101

www.Maine.gov/sos/cec; tel. 207-624-7648

To: Municipal Clerks and Registrars From: Julie Flynn, Deputy Secretary of State Re: Executive Order Modifying the Primary Election to Reduce Exposure to COVID-19 Date: April 14, 2020 On April 10, 2020, Governor Janet Mills issued Executive Order No. 39 FY 19/20. This Order was issued to make modifications to existing statutes governing the primary election to reduce exposure for voters and election officials to the COVID-19 virus. The Executive Order is posted on our Upcoming Elections page: http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/index.html This Executive Order included the following provisions: 1. The date of the election was changed from the 2nd Tuesday of June (June 9, 2020) to July 14,

2020 – the second Tuesday in July. All statutory deadlines that established in relation to the date of the election (e.g. 60 days before the election) will automatically reset to the new election day of July 14, 2020. Deadlines such as the deadline for Municipal Clerks to file the Notice of Intent to Process Absentee Ballots Prior to Election Day and to file a voting place report have now been reset to May 15, 2020. We have prepared a new elections calendar, schedule of mailings and election submission checklist to reflect the new deadlines.

2. Other deadlines set by statute that do not automatically reset based on the rescheduled election date are also modified:

a. The May 26, 2020 deadline for filing non-party nomination petitions with the municipal register is changed to June 26, 2020;

b. The June 1, 2020 deadline for filing non-party nomination petitions with the Secretary of State is July 1, 2020;

c. The July 13, 2020 deadline for a primary winner to withdraw and be replaced by the party is changed to August 11, 2020;

d. The July 27, 2020 deadline for a party to name a replacement candidate is changed to August 25, 2020; and

e. The qualifying period for submission of Maine Clean Election Act qualifying contributions is changed to end at 5 p.m. on May 19, 2020.

We have updated our candidate petition certification memo to reflect the new filing deadline for non-party petitions. Questions regarding the Maine Clean Election Qualifying period

Matthew Dunlap Secretary of State

Department of the Secretary of State

Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions Julie L. Flynn Deputy Secretary of State

http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec

http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/index.html

101 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0101

www.Maine.gov/sos/cec; tel. 207-624-7648

should be referred to the Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices. Although municipal officials are not directly involved with the candidate withdrawal and replacement process, you may be asked to complete a Certification of Candidate Enrollment if a replacement candidate is registered to vote in your municipality.

3. There is no deadline for requesting an absentee ballot for the July 14, 2020 election. 4. Absentee ballot applications that were submitted up to 3 months prior to the June 9, 2020

election are valid for the July 14, 2020 election. If a voter previously submitted an application for the June 9th election by any method, that voter does not need to submit a new application now. The ABR (Absentee Ballot Request service) and CVR have been updated to automatically change the election to July 14, 2020. Therefore, any absentee ballot you entered into CVR for the June 9, 2020 election has been switched to the new election date. This process will also remove the June 9, 2020 election date from the dropdown list of elections in CVR. Although not a result of the Executive Order, please also be aware that there is now a referendum election being held on July 14, 2020. Before the Legislature adjourned on March 17, 2020, they voted to place two bond issues on the ballot. ABR has been updated to include two acceptance emails – one for enrolled voters and one for unenrolled voters. The rejection reason for an unenrolled voter has been removed as unenrolled voters are now eligible to participate in the July 14th election by voting a referendum ballot only. This is the same process as was in place for the March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary/Special Referendum Election. More information can be found in the ABR User Guide – which will be updated for this election and posted on the Temp site. At this time, there is still the intention that voting at voting places will occur on Election Day. Although we do not know if the current or revised social distancing requirements will be in place in July, the safety of all voters and election workers is of the utmost importance. The Governor has indicated that if further changes need to be made regarding the conduct of this election, she will not hesitate to make them. This office will keep you updated on any new developments as soon as they occur. Included in this mailing is a survey asking election officials to report on the availability of voting places, the ability to secure election workers as well your needs for personal protective equipment. Please complete and return this survey by the stated deadline. If you have any other concerns or questions, please contact this office.

http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec

July 14, 2020 Primary Election Survey

Municipality _____________________________________________

1. Will your municipality’s regular polling place be available for the July 14, 2020 Primary

and Special Referendum Election? (Y/N/Unsure) ____________________________________ (If yes, please skip to question 4) If not available, please indicate why it will not be available: _______________________________________________________________________________

2. If your regular polling place is not available on July 14, have you secured another facility to

conduct the state election? (Y/N)___________________________________________________

3. If you need to use an alternate polling place for July 14, please provide facility information:

Alternate Polling Information

Name of alternate polling place

Address of alternate polling place Is alternate polling place ADA compliant?

4. Does the polling place you plan to use on July 14 have ample size to provide a 6-foot social distance space between voters and election workers? (Y/N/Unsure)______________________ 5. Please estimate the number of people (including voters and election workers) that your

polling place could accommodate if a 6-foot social distance space was required to be provided to each individual_______________________________________________________

6. Have you contacted election officials to determine if they are still able (and willing) to work at the polls on Election Day and what is their response?_______________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 7. The State is looking to obtain personal protective equipment (i,e, masks, gloves, face masks,

cleaning materials, barriers, etc.) to be used at the voting place. Please provide the total number of election workers you anticipate using on Election Day (and prior to Election Day) so that we can determine how much PPE should be acquired. __________________________

8. Any other issues of concern for the July 14 Primary and Special Referendum Election? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

________________________________ ___________________ ___________________ Signature of Municipal Clerk Telephone # Date

Please submit this July Primary Election Survey by May 1, 2020 By email ([email protected]) or fax 287-6545 or 287-5428

(Please enter “July Survey” on the subject line)

mailto:[email protected]

April 2020

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4

Deadline Nominations for election clerks must be submitted to municipal officers §503-A(2)

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Mailing #1

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Patriot’s Day State Offices Closed

26 27 28 29 30

May 2020

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2

Deadline Municipal Officers must appoint Election Clerks §503-A(3)

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 .

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Deadline

To provide notification of early processing to SOS & parties §760-B(2) 60 days before Primary Election

Deadline To file Voting Place Report with SOS §626-A To submit application to SOS to change location of voting place §631-A(3)

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Memorial Day

State Offices Closed

Deadline State issues State ballots to UOCAVA voters by this day.

45 days before Primary Election

31

June 2020

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6

Mailing #2

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Look for delivery of absentee ballots beginning this week

Deadline People’s Veto proponents must submit petitions to municipalities by 5 p.m.

Deadline Municipalities must return petitions to People’s Veto proponents

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Clerks may start conducting absentee voting at licensed facilities §753-B(5) 30 days before Primary Election

Deadline People’s Veto proponents must submit petitions to Secretary of State by 5 p.m.

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Mailing #3 Deadline

Registrar must receive Mail-in Voter Registration cards by close of business §121-A

Closed Period

Begins

Deadline Non-Party candidates must submit petitions to Registrars by 5 p.m. for certification

(Executive Order 39 FY 19/20)

28 29 30 Deadline

Voters changing Party Enrollment must do so by this date to participate in the Primary §144(3)

July 2020

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4

Deadline Non-Party candidates must submit petitions to SOS by 5 p.m. (Executive Order 39)

Mailing #4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Deadline

To post Notice of Election and sample ballots §621-A and §625

Early Absentee Processing may begin

Early Absentee Processing

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Early Absentee Processing

Registrar must deliver copies of the Voting List to the Clerk by 5 p.m. §624(2) Early Absentee Processing

Primary & Special

Referendum Election

(Executive Order 39 FY 19/20)

Clerks prepare attested copies of Election Results to record with SOS.

Deadline Clerks must submit Election Results to SOS by 5 p.m. §711(3)

7/16 & 7/17 If required, courier retrieves RCV Materials (ballots/memory sticks)

7/17 RCV Central Count begins (if required)

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Recount requests

must be submitted to SOS by 5 p.m. §737-A If no recount is requested, IVL can be unsealed after 5 p.m. §698(3)

Deadline (7/21/20) Clerk must update and prepare final Absentee List §753-B(6)(E)

26 27 28 29 30 31 Deadline

Non-Party Presidential candidates must submit petitions to Registrars by 5 p.m. §354(7)(B)

August 2020

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Deadline

Non-Party Presidential candidates must submit petitions to SOS by 5 p.m. §354(8-A)

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

30 31

Schedule of Mailings July 14, 2020 Primary/Special Referendum Election

The dates listed below reflect a tentative schedule for the July 14, 2020 Primary/Special Referendum Election mailings. Because of statutory requirements we cannot send all the documents in one bulk mailing. However, we may be able to further combine some of these of mailings as schedules are confirmed. Mailing 1 – Absentee Ballot Applications, Elections Calendar, Early Processing, Petition Certification Mail date: Mailed April 17, 2020 Cover Sheet Election Memo 2020 Candidate Petition Certification Memo Election Submission Checklist 2020 Elections Calendar Schedule of Mailings Retention Schedule Absentee Ballot Applications Notice of Early Absentee Ballot Processing -- DEADLINE to submit to SOS (if applicable): May 15, 2020 Early Processing Fact Sheet Voting Place Report– DEADLINE to submit to SOS: May 15, 2020 State Party Chair Information People’s Veto Certification Memo

Mailing 2 – Absentee and Official Ballot Receipts, Sample Ballots and Registrar Info Tentative mail date: June 3, 2020 Cover Sheet Absentee Ballot Receipt – DEADLINE to submit to SOS: 6/17/2020 (may vary based on ballot production) Official Ballot Receipt – DEADLINE to submit Receipt to SOS: 6/30/2020 Wardens Receipt Sample Ballots Closed Period Information Guide to using the Incoming Voter List Voter Registration Oath/Affirmation Ballot Specifications Notice of Election Instructions for Notice of Election Write-in Candidate’s Memo List of Declared Write-ins Memo regarding Enrollment Changes/Options Guide for Requesting and Receiving Absentee Ballots Facilities Web Site Instructions/Required Notices Notice about Treasurer’s Statement Citizen’s Guide to the Referendum Election (if

available, otherwise with the Jiffy Bag mailing)


NOTE: Printer will be mailing absentee ballots between 6/8 and 6/12 and Regular ballots between 6/22 and 6/26

NOTE: SOS and/or ES&S will deliver DS200 and Express Vote Memory Devices and Testing Instructions/Confirmations between 6/8 and 6/12

Mailing 4 – Returns of Votes Cast, Tally Sheets, Post Election Activities Tentative mail date: July 2, 2020 (if not included with Jiffy Bag mailing) Cover Sheet Warden’s Return of Votes Cast ROVC Instructions Tally Sheets & Warden’s Total Tally Sheet Election Night Reporting Instructions (CVR) Checklist of Submitting Election Returns/documents to SOS Post-Election Activities Reminders

For Early Processing Municipalities: Tentative date to send electronically via email: June 29, 2020 Log for Early Processing (Paper/Machine) Guidelines for Securing Ballots (Paper/Machine versions)

Mailing 3 – Jiffy Bags – Paper Mailing 3 – Jiffy Bags - DS200 Tentative mail date: Week of June 22nd Tentative mail date: Week of June 22nd Cover Sheet Cover Sheet Instructions for Opening the Polls Instructions for Opening the Polls Instructions for Closing the Polls - Paper Instructions for Closing the Polls - Machine Ballot Instructions (French) Ballot Instructions (French) Challenged Voter Instructions Challenged Voter Instructions Challenged Voter Information Challenged Voter Information Challenged Voter Affidavit Challenged Voter Affidavit Challenged Voter List Challenged Voter List Labels for Spoiled, Defective and Void Ballots Labels for Spoiled, Defective and Void Ballots Overvote Instructions for Election Officials Overvote Instructions for Election Officials Fiscal Impact Statements (Referenda) Fiscal Impact Statements (Referenda) Elections & CVR Phone Numbers Elections & CVR Phone Numbers “AVS Jiffy Bag” “AVS Jiffy Bag” Election Day Accessibility Checklist Election Day Accessibility Checklist AVS Assistance Notice AVS Assistance Notice

Election Submission Checklist July 14, 2020 Primary Election

Deadline Date Required Submission

3/20/20 Blank Absentee Ballot Receipt 3/27/20 Supply Order Form 3/27/20 Return all Memory Sticks (except ES&S rentals) 5/01/20 DS200 Coding Form 5/15/20 Voting Place Report 5/15/20 Notice of Early Absentee Processing (Send notice to SOS and Party Chairs to process prior to Election Day) 6/17/20 Absentee Ballot Receipt 6/30/20 Official Ballot Receipt 6/30/20 DS200 Testing Confirmation 6/30/20 Expressvote Testing Confirmation Note: Filings below due 2 days after election 7/16/20 Certified ROVC 7/16/20 Warden’s ROVC 7/16/20 Certificate of Sealed Ballot Container 7/16/20 Log of Spoiled Ballots 7/16/20 Warden’s Log of Opening the Ballot Box (if applicable) 7/16/20 Log of Early Processing (if applicable)

MEMORANDUM

To: Municipal Clerks From: Melissa K. Packard, Director of Elections Date: April 14, 2020 Re: Voting Place Report

The enclosed Voting Place Report must be submitted by the new deadline even if you have already completed the Voting Place Report for the June 9, 2020 election and no information has changed. At this time, we do not know if Maine’s “Stay at Home Order” will remain in effect or be modified prior to July 14th. We are proceeding with the assumption that some in-person voting will take place in July; therefore, each municipality should plan to have voting places in use that day. We recommend that you make sure each voting place in available on July 14th or make alternate plans. Please report the name and location of the voting place(s) you intend to use as soon as finalized. If a voting place needs to change, this office will work with municipal officials to facilitate a change. Minimum Voting Booth Requirements Title 21-A §629 requires each municipality to provide a sufficient number of voting booths for each election. For a Primary Election, the law does not require a minimum number, however the number of booths must provide for an orderly flow of voters. The number of booths needed for a general election is one booth for each 200 active registered voters. The AVS voting station can be used to meet the requirement of Title 21-A, §629(A-1) which requires the Municipal Clerk to provide at least one voting booth that is accessible to persons with disabilities but does not count toward the minimum number of booths required. To determine the number of active voters in your municipality, please review Chapter 9, Reports, of the Central Voter Registration Guide for instructions to run a report of Registered and Enrolled Voters. Poll Opening Time Requirements (For each election) Title 21-A §626 requires municipalities to open their polls within specified times, as follows:

• Municipalities with a population under 500 – between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. • Municipalities with a population of 500 or greater – between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.

Municipal Clerks must notify the Secretary of State’s Office of voting place locations, number of voting booths and poll opening times on the form provided. Additionally, we are requesting a contact name and phone number for Election Day emergencies. Please provide a phone number, preferably a cell phone, where you can be reached on Election Day.

Review the information preprinted on the accompanying Voting Place Report and make corrections as necessary. You must also complete the requested information.

Voting Place Report must be filed by deadline provided in law (Title 21-A §626-A) – May 15, 2020

Matthew Dunlap Secretary of State

Department of the Secretary of State

Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions Julie L. Flynn Deputy Secretary of State

Voted absentee ballots must be received by the Municipal Clerk by 8 p.m. on July 14, 2020. 1. Full Name of Registered Voter Requesting the Ballot 2. Residence Address of Voter

(Street Address) (Municipality) 3. Voter’s Date of Birth ___ ___ / ___ ___ / ___ ___ ___ ___

m m d d y y y y

4. Daytime Phone Number (optional) 5. Method of Delivery of Ballot to the Voter

a. Issued to Voter (Application Required if Voter will Vote Outside the Municipal Clerk’s Presence)

b. By Mail to this Address

c. By Immediate Family Member of Voter Designated Here (Name) (Relationship to Voter)

d. By this 3rd Person (Designated by the Voter) (Name) (Telephone #)

6. Signature of Voter OR Immediate Family Member of Voter Date Note: If an immediate family member of the voter is completing this application, the relationship to the voter must be provided in 5(c) above. The absentee ballot can be delivered to the immediate family member in person or mailed to the address provided in 5(b).

7. Signature of Immediate Family Member Returning the Ballot

Relationship to Voter (Complete Section #7 Only if Ballot was Delivered to the Voter or a Different Immediate Family Member of the Voter)

AIDE CERTIFICATE (Must be Completed if Applicant was Assisted as Designated Below)

If the voter received assistance in reading and/or signing this application, the person who assisted the voter must complete and sign this certificate.

I helped this voter: read the application sign the application read and sign the application

Signature of Aide Printed Name of Aide

Application for Absentee Ballot July 14, 2020

Primary/Special Referendum Election

Application Received (Date/Time) Ballot Sent/Delivered (Date/Time)

State of Maine July 14, 2020 Primary/Special Referendum Election

Notice of Intent to Process Absentee Ballots Prior to Election Day

Municipality Date/Time of Early Processing (check all that apply): Friday, July 10, 2020**

1-Hour Inspection Time Period: _________________________________________________________ Time Processing Begins: _________________________________________________________

Saturday, July 11, 2020** 1-Hour Inspection Time Period: _________________________________________________________

Time Processing Begins: _________________________________________________________ Sunday, July 12, 2020**

1-Hour Inspection Time Period: _________________________________________________________ Time Processing Begins: _________________________________________________________ Monday, July 13, 2020**

1-Hour Inspection Time Period: _________________________________________________________ Time Processing Begins: _________________________________________________________

Location and address that early processing will occur: ___________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

This Notice is for notifying the Secretary of State and the chairs of each political party of the municipality’s intent to process absentee ballots prior to Election Day. A Copy of this Notice must also be posted with the Notice of Election at least 7 days prior to the election.

A True Copy Attested Date (Signature of Municipal Clerk)

** Clerk has read and will comply with the Uniform Guidelines for Securing Ballots and Other Materials._______________ Clerk initials

Fact Sheet on Early Processing of Ballots for 7/14/20 Primary/Special Referendum Election

Pursuant to Title 21-A Section 760-B 1. Optional procedure: Note: Beginning in 2019, Friday and Sunday were added as processing day

options. • The Municipal Clerk may opt to process absentee ballots the Friday (7/10), Saturday (7/11), Sunday

(7/12), and/or Monday (7/13) prior to Election Day (7/14). 2. Time limits on processing

• Processing can occur between 9 am and 9 pm on any of the four days (July 10 – July 13) prior to Election Day, unless an inspection is requested (see section 4). If an inspection is requested, the inspection period would be 9 am to 10 am and processing may not begin until after 10 am.

• The Municipal Clerk designates the time for processing to begin. 3. Notice requirements

• The Municipal Clerk must complete the Notice of Intent to Process Absentee Ballots Prior to Election Day to designate 1 hour for inspection and designate the time for early processing to start after the inspection period. If no inspection is requested, the Clerk may begin processing at 9 am (or at chosen time after 9 am), by designating Time Processing Begins as “9 am, or immediately following a requested inspection”.

• The Municipal Clerk must give notice at least 60 days before Election Day (by 5 pm on May 15) by: • mailing a copy of the Notice of Intent to Process Absentee Ballots Prior to Election Day to the

Municipal Party Chairs (D, G, R) at their last known addresses; or by mailing a copy of the Notice of Election to the State Party Chairs (if no municipal chairs); and

• providing a copy of the Notice to the Division of Elections by one of these methods 1. Email a scanned attachment ([email protected]) 2. Fax (287-6545 or 287-5428) 3. Mail (101 SHS, Augusta, ME 04333)

Note: If a copy of the Notice of Intent to Process Absentee Ballots Prior to Election Day is not received by the Division of Elections by May 15, 2020, the municipality may not process absentees prior to the election.

4. Inspection before Processing • A member of the public who wishes to inspect absentee materials must make a written request to the

Clerk by 9 am on each day that the clerk intends to process absentee ballots prior to Election Day, to inspect the absentee applications/envelopes before they are processed.

• The Municipal Clerk must allow 1 hour for inspection before processing (e.g. 9 am to 10 am). • The Municipal Clerk may start processing immediately after the inspection period has elapsed, or at

the time designated on the Notice, if later. 5. Ballot Processing and Other Procedures

• The Municipal Clerk follows absentee ballot processing procedures in Title 21-A §759, §760-A. • The procedures for handling full ballot boxes (optical scan only), pollwatching and challenging ballots

are conducted in the same manner as on Election Day. 6. Counting and Results Prohibited before the Close of the Polls on Election Day

• Ballots may not be counted, voter intent may not be determined and election results may not be obtained or released until after the polls close on Election Day (and after all in-person voters have voted and all absentee ballots have been processed).

7. Security of Processed Ballots and Tabulating Equipment

At the conclusion of early absentee ballot processing, the Municipal Clerk shall ensure: • the processed absentee ballots are locked and sealed in tamper-proof containers, as required by the

“Uniform Guidelines for Securing Ballots and Other Materials”; and • these locked and sealed containers must be further secured in a vault or other locked, secure location

until ballots are counted after the polls close on Election Day.

mailto:[email protected]

Instructions for Completing the Notice of Intent to Process Absentee Ballots Prior to Election Day Revised by the Office of the Secretary of State, April 2020

The Notice provided in this mailing is only for the purpose of notifying the Secretary of State and political parties of the municipality’s intent to process absentee ballots prior to Election Day. Public Law 2019, Chapter 371 authorizes municipalities the option to process absentee ballots beginning on the 4th day before Election Day, including Sunday. If you choose to process early, you can do so on any date or combination of dates below (with proper notice to this office and the political party chairs, at least 60 days prior to the election):

Early Processing Day Option(s) Date Option(s) Friday 7/10/2020 Saturday 7/11/2020 Sunday 7/12/2020 Monday 7/13/2020

The steps for completing the Notice are as follows: 1. Complete the municipality name

2. Complete the date(s) and time(s) of Early Processing

3. Complete the location name and address for the place where early processing will occur.

4. Provide an attested copy of the completed Notice of Intent to Process Absentee Ballots Prior to Election Day

to the Secretary of State (Division of Elections) and the municipal chair of each political party at least 60 days before Election Day (by May 15, 2020). Notice to the political parties must be mailed to the last address of each municipal chair known to the Clerk. If there is no municipal chair, the notice must be mailed to the state party chair of each party. Contact information for the state party chairs is provided in this mailing and posted on the Elections Temp page.

5. A copy of the Notice of Intent to Process Absentee Ballots Prior to Election Day must be posted with the

Notice of Election and sample ballots in each voting district in the municipality at least 7 days prior to election day and each voting place on election day, pursuant to Title 21-A, section 621-A(1). The Clerk shall also record a copy of the Notice of Intent to Process Absentee Ballots Prior to Election Day.

Note: A Clerk intending to process absentee ballots before Election Day must read and comply with the Uniform Guidelines for Securing Ballots and Other Materials. The clerk must confirm this fact and initial the Notice of Intent to Process Absentee Ballots Prior to Election Day where indicated. A copy of the Uniform Guidelines is posted on the temp site.

Clerks intending to process absentee ballots only on Election Day before the polls have closed: or process only on Election Day after the polls have closed should not complete the Notice provided in this mailing. These Clerks will need to complete only the actual Notice of Election (to be provided in a future mailing).

CANDIDATE PETITION CERTIFICATION Prepared by the Office of the Secretary of State, April 2020

The Governor’s Executive Order, issued on April 10, 2020, changed the filing deadline for non-party candidates from June 1, 2020 to July 1, 2020. Deadlines for non-party presidential candidates were not changed by the order. Please see the chart and information below regarding the new deadlines.

Non-party – 11/3/20 General Election

Non-Party Presidential – 11/3/20 General Election

Date candidates may begin circulating

January 1, 2020 January 1, 2020

Filing deadline with Municipal Official

June 26, 2020 July 27, 2020

Filing deadline with Secretary of State

July 1, 2020 August 3, 2020

Who May Sign? Any registered voter Any registered voter Unenrolled candidates must file non-party nomination petitions with the Secretary of State by July 1, 2020.

The deadline for non-party candidates to file petitions with the Municipal Registrar is by 5 p.m. on June 26, 2020. The deadline for non-party presidential candidates to file with the Municipal Registrar is July 27, 2020. If your office is not open until 5 p.m. on either of these dates, you need to make arrangements to have someone available to accept petitions on these deadline dates until 5 p.m.

Certification Procedure Follow the certification procedures for non-party petitions outlined in Chapter 5 of your Voter Registration &

Elections – The Guide for Maine Election Administrators training manual. CVR should be used to search and verify the signers of petitions as registered voters in your municipality. In

CVR, you can search for the person whose signature is on the petition using the Inquiries – Voter Registration search function, to determine the person’s registration status. Do not enter the signatures in the Municipal Petitions Module as this module is designed for only local petitions. Alternatively, print a current Alpha Voter List (without dates of birth or mailing addresses) to use to look up and certify voters.

If the signature is not available in CVR or you have questions about whether the voter’s name on the petition is the voter in CVR, you should always check the voter registration application as the definitive source document for voter information.

Complete the certification on the petition form as usual (with a check mark for registered voters and the appropriate code for an invalid signature).

o Use NR to designate people who are not registered to vote in your municipality o See Chapter 5, pages 11 and 12, for additional codes.

Two important certifications are printed on the reverse side of each candidate petition form, which relate to that petition form and/or the candidate named on the petition. Please review the descriptions of each certification provided below and complete the certifications accordingly. Circulator’s Oath The Circulator of a petition must sign the Circulator’s Oath for each petition witnessed, in the presence of a

Notary Public. This Oath does not have to be completed prior to the Registrar certifying the candidate petitions. If you are a notary and are asked to notarize the oath for a circulator, you may notarize the Oath prior to

completing your certification.

Registrar’s Certification The Registrar must complete the Registrar’s Certification on each petition. Fill in the municipality name, and the number of Valid and Invalid signatures. This number should match the

number of valid and invalid signatures you have marked in the “For Registrar use only” column on the petition. NON-PARTY PETITION Signers of a non-party petition must be registered voters within the same district as the candidate. Any voter,

regardless of party affiliation, may sign a non-party nomination petition.

The Registrar must sign and date the Certification. Candidate’s Consent and Certification of Candidate Unenrollment The Certification of Candidate Unenrollment for non-party candidates is printed on the Candidate’s Consent form. If the candidate is a registered voter in your municipality, you must complete this certification once. Fill in the candidate’s name as it appears in the Central Voter Registration System. For a non-party candidate, confirm that the candidate is not enrolled in a qualified party after March 1st (or by

the date of certification, if before March 1st). A non-party presidential candidate must name four electors from the State of Maine. Each Presidential Elector

for a non-party presidential candidate must complete and submit a Non-Party Candidate’s Consent and Certification of Unenrollment for Presidential Elector.

NOTE: Again, if the candidate was enrolled in a qualified party after March 1, 2020, that candidate is not eligible to be a non-party candidate this year - do not complete this certification for the candidate.

2020 People’s Veto Certification Memo Prepared by the Office of the Secretary of State, April 2020

On February 3, 2020, the Secretary of State approved the following people’s veto petition: Ch. 539, Public Laws of 2019, An Act To Implement Ranked-choice Voting for Presidential Primary and General Elections in Maine. People’s Veto Petition Certification and Submission Deadlines June 15, 2020 is the deadline for people’s veto petitions to be filed with the Secretary of State. Please refer to the chart below for additional petition deadlines.

Description of Deadline Date Proponent’s Deadline to submit to municipal officials June 10, 2020 Municipal Deadline to certify/return petitions to proponents June 12, 2020 Proponent’s Deadline to submit to Secretary of State June 15, 2020

The deadline for people’s veto petitions to be filed with municipal officials is 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10, 2020, which is 5 days before the deadline for filing with the Secretary of State. All petitions received by this deadline must be certified by municipal officials and returned to the proponents within 2 business days (which is Friday, June 12, 2020). Municipal officials are not authorized to certify any petitions received after the Constitutional deadline. In order to track which petitions are received by the deadline, municipal officials should immediately date and time stamp all petitions that are filed for certification. The date/time should be the date/time the petitions were received in the municipal office -- not the date/time the registrar takes possession of the petitions, (i.e. if the petitions were received by another person in the office on behalf of the registrar). Note: The 2-day requirement for municipal officials to certify petitions is a Constitutional deadline and applies only to petitions filed by Wednesday, June 10th. Prior to this deadline, municipal officials are under no Constitutional deadline to certify petitions within two days, but it should be completed as promptly as your schedule allows. Petitions Received After June 10, 2020 If you receive petitions after June 10, 2020, you must date and time stamp the petitions and return to the proponent, but do not certify. Certification Procedure Please review Chapter 5 in your Voter Registration & Elections, The Guide for Maine Election Administrators for the proper procedure for certifying petitions. Title 21-A, Maine Law on Elections, section 902 requires the circulator of each petition to complete the Circulator’s Oath prior to submitting the petitions to the Registrar for certification. If you receive a petition that does not have the Circulator’s Oath completed, do not certify the petition, but return it to the circulator uncertified. If there is a notary available in your office and the person turning in the petitions is the circulator, the notary may administer the oath at that time. If you suspect that a petition is fraudulent, you must notify the Elections Division immediately and provide a copy of the suspect petition. For example, if it appears that the signatures were all made by the same person, you are now required to call the Elections Division. You would certify the signatures as invalid for ANO and send a copy of that petition to the division.


Use of CVR for Petition Certification The Central Voter Registration system (CVR) should be used to search and verify the signers of petitions as registered voters in your municipality. In CVR, you can search for the person whose signature is on the petition using the Inquiries – Voter Registration search function (not the Activities – Voter Registration function) and determine the person’s registration status. If the signature is not available in CVR or you have any question about whether the voter’s name on the petition is the same voter in CVR, then you should always check the voter registration application as the definitive source document for voter information. You would then complete the certification on the petition form as usual (with a check mark for registered voters and an NR to designate people who are not registered to vote in your municipality). You do not need to enter the voters in the municipal petition module, as this is currently designed only for local petitions. Duplicate Signatures Do not mark any signatures as duplicates. Until the State petitions module is implemented in CVR, the State will track duplicate signatures after the petitions are filed with the Division of Elections. Appropriate Use of Standard Certification Codes = Use for valid, registered voters NR = Use for non-registered voters ANO = Use only when you can determine that the signature was made by

someone other than the voter (i.e., a wife signs for her husband; the signature on the petition is clearly not the same as the signature on the voter registration application)

SIG = Use only when a person’s “non-cursive” signature does not match the person’s signature or printing on the voter registration application Important Certification Reminders • Always use a RED pen when certifying petitions • Do not cross out or mark signatures of voters from a different municipality • Do not use white-out; instead, cross out errors and initial corrections • Do not use a signature stamp • Maintain a log of all petitions certified which includes the following information: title of petition;

name of person submitting petitions; date of submission; number of forms; date and manner by which the petitions were returned – a copy of the log is posted on the Elections temp page: http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/temp/

• You must make alternative drop-off arrangements for the June 10th deadline if you (or other staff) are not going to be in the office until 5 p.m. on that day.

• The Acts in question are scheduled to take effect on June 16, 2020; if petitions are filed by the deadline, the effect of the Acts are stayed pending certification of sufficient signatures and, if applicable, an election on the people’s veto.

If you have questions about petitions or any election matter, please contact the Division of Elections at 624-7650 or toll-free at 1-888-VOTESME (1-888-868-3763).

http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/temp/

july 14, 2020 primary/special referendum election update ... · party is changed to august 11,...

Documents